Farmers alleged that some Regulated Market Committee (RMC) officials, paddy purchasing agents, millers and dalals were hand in glove in perpetuating a corruption running up to lakhs of rupees in paddy procurement during the Rabi season in the district.
According to sources, under the corrupt practices, paddy did not come to the mandis; rather the millers directly got it.
The venal staff members made false entries and managed to earn lakhs of rupees by the way.
It is alleged that for making the irregularities, the staff members got Rs15 to Rs20 for each quintal of paddy.
More than 15 lakh quintals of paddy were collected
from different yards in Bargarh
district during the Rabi season, as per Government record. About 13 lakh quintals were purchased by different agencies.
However, it is alleged that the records were goofed up and much of the paddy shown to have been procured through a Government process was illegally obtained by
the millers.
Since employees from top to bottom are allegedly involved in the paddy procurement scam, a fair probe by Vigilance is demanded here.
